Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States Urge Nations to Protect Wildlife from International Trade

HSI/HSUS delegation at CITES meeting in Thailand

Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States will be urging nations to support proposals to increase or establish protection for species threatened by international trade during the 16th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which opens Monday in Bangkok. The groups will also work to enhance the implementation and enforcement of the Convention, now in its 40th year.

“Many wild animals and plants need protection from over-exploitation for international trade, and the CITES meeting is an important opportunity to advance these conservation goals,” said Teresa M. Telecky, Ph.D., director of the wildlife department for HSI and head of the HSI/HSUS delegation. “Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States urge countries to vote in favor of proposals to increase protection for polar bears, manatees, rhinoceroses, elephants and tigers. More than 40 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises, as well as snakes, lizards, and 11 species of sharks and rays, are also at risk and need the protection that CITES provides.”

The CITES parties, 178 member countries, meet every three years to decide how trade in wild animal parts such as rhino horn, tiger skins and elephant ivory, should be regulated. Parties decide which species should be protected and impose controls or bans in their trade by adding them to one of three appendices. Parties consider proposals to include species on appendices I or II, transfer them between appendices, or remove them altogether. Species on Appendix I are banned from international commercial trade; international trade is allowed but regulated for species listed on Appendix II.

The HSI/HSUS delegation will urge nations to support the following proposals, which can be found in detail here.